Lamp-burner



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J. PQTROUT.

LAMP BURNER.

Patented Nov. 17', 1885.

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J. F. TROUT.

LAMP BURNER.

No. 330,810. I Patented Nov. 17, 1885.

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JOHN F. TROUT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LAMP-BURNER.

E$?ECZEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 330,810, dated November 17, 1885.

Application filed September 18. 1884. Serial No. 143,436. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. TROUT, a citif zen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamps, but more particularly intended for such as are used on railway-cars,

steamboats, and other places where the lamp is subjected to motion and the contents agitated, of which the following is a specification. The object of my invention is to afford a means of escape for the air and gas from with in the lamp, for the purpose of securing more perfect and uniform combustion; and it consists in the use of one or more tubes or passages extending to or within the wick-chamber, through which the air and gas are permitted to escape, said tubes or escape-passages being so situated and arranged as to prevent any contact of the air and gas current from said passages with the flame of the wick, and likewise so as not to be subject to outside atmospheric influences.

I have illustrated my invention by the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a section of a car-lamp having a central oil-reservoir, such lamp being of a construction such as is in general use. Fig. 2 is a central section of the same, showing the interior construction and arrangement. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the wick-tubes together with the surrounding casing and the parts connected therewith, as well as showing in dotted lines the passage-ways which afford an escape for the air'and gas from within the lamp. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same, showing the upper ends of the escape tubes or passages, also showing the perforated plate surrounding the wick-tubes. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the cone of the lamp, together with the supporting-casing, andshowing the openings in such casing which connect with the escape pipes or passages extending to the interior of the lamp.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

A indicates the oil-reservoir of the lamp.

B indicates the arm of the lamp, connecting said reservoir with the upright section of the lamp 0, the hollow arm B, having an air-space inside, also a small tube through which the oil passes.

The upright section 0 contains the wick-reservoir D, surrounded by the airchamber 6. v

h indicates the small tube inside of the hollow arm B through which tube the oil passes.

a and d indicate the wick-tubes.

m and 17. indicate the ratchet-wheels.

0 indicates the ratchet-rod.

a" is the perforated diaphragm surrounding the wick-tubes.

k represents the casing surrounding the wick-tubes, and afiording a surface at the lower end for the screw I, which works within a corresponding thread at the top of the wickreservoir D.

a and b indicate my improved escape'tubes or passageways, which extend through the surrounding casing on each side of the Wicktubes and project upward, so as to discharge theair and gas through openings corresponding therewith in the casing which surrounds and supports the cone, such openings being at the base of the cone and within the chimney.

00 indicates the cone.

2 indicates the outer casing of the cone, having an upward extension, y, for retaining the chimney in position.

E indicates the chimney of the lamp. The openings referred to through the cone-casing are indicated by m and n.

1" indicates a surrounding perforated casing, which is connected with the casing around the wick-tubes, and through which the air is fed beneath the perforated diaphragm 9, which casing r is made to fit closely within the easing 2, which supports the cone m.

It is well known to persons familiar with what are known as hurricane lamps, intended for use on railway-trains and steamboats, that it has been found to be very difficult to secure a construction such as will afford a steady flame when the lampis subjected to any considerable degree of motion, or, infact, to prevent the flame from being extinguished when such motionis violent. The liability of a lamp of this class to be thus affected results from the action of the oil or burning material upon the confined air and gas within the lamp. As fast as the burning material used is consumed the vacant space within the lamp is occupied by air and by gas generated by the into overcome the resistance of the wicks. effect of having this gas pass up through fluence of the heat, which, having no means of escape, is acted upon by any sudden motion of the oil within the lamp, which action re sults in forcing the confined air and gas up through the wicks.

I am aware that it has been supposed that the fluctuations of the flame, as well as, the occasional extinguishment of the same, produced by the motion of a car, have been due to the sudden passage of an increased volume of oil up through the wicks; but I have found by experiments that such supposition is fallacious, and that the flame is affected not by the action of the oil or other material, but by the action of the confined air and gas,which is forced up through the wicks by means of the pressure or force of the oil within the lamp when suddenly agitated.

The gas which escapes with the air through the passages which I provide is generated within the wick-reservoir by the action of the heat resulting from combustion. It is well known that wh ere there is no escape afiorded for the confined air within the wick chamber or reservoir that such air soon becomes heated from its contact with the portions of the lamp adjacent to and influenced by the wick-tubes, which heated air acts to materially aid in heating the oil in the lamp; and, further, that the contents are to a considerable degree affected by the heating of the exterior of the lamp, the result being the generation of gas from the oil thus heated, which gas is forced up through the wicks by its own tendency to escape, as well as by the pressure or influence produced by any sudden motion of the contents of the lamp. The gas thus generated and confined soon acquires a force sufficient The the wicks is similar to but greater than that produced by the confined air, and produces an intermittent flame, the gas at times producing such a sudden increase of flame as to smoke and blacken the chimneys, together with the portions of the lamp immediately adjacent thereto. There is no advantage in having gas of this description generated within the lamp, but, to the contrary, it is a disadvantage, and acts only to interfere with and detract from the uniformity of the lighting properties of the lamp. The fact that a lamp after being lighted will soon have an increased volume of flame without the raising of the wicks is due to the influence of this gas, generated as stated and confined within the lamp. It is not possible, however, to permit the air and gas from within the wick-tube chamber to escape, except under such conditions as will not interfere with combustion; or, in other words, the confined air and gas from within the lamp must not be permitted to come in contact with the flame of the wicks, and must likewise be confined within the chimneys or kept free from outside atmospheric action. If permitted to come in contact with the flame, it will not infrequently result in the extinguishment of the same, while if permitted to escapeoutside of the chimney the openings or passages for such escape would be subjected to outside atmospheric pressure and influence, which would operate to fill the interior of the lamp and create an upward pressure through the wicks, thus producing the very result which I especially aim to avoid.

It will thus be seen that my invention substantially and essentially consists in the use of tubes or passage-ways which connect with the oil-reservoir or wick-chamber of the lamp, and extend upward or outward, so as to discharge the confined air and gas from within the lamp at a point or at points where said air and gas shall not come in contact with the wick-flame, and shall either be discharged within the chimneys or otherwise protected from outside atmospheric influences. These tubes or passage-ways may be of any shape desired, and of a size suitable to answer the desired purpose, while the material of which they are made is a secondary matter; but they are preferably made of the same material as the wick-tubes, or the parts of the lamp adjacent thereto.

WVhile I prefer to use two escape-pipes, it is not essential that more than one be employed, provided that it is of sufficient size to answer the purpose required, and, if preferred, a greater number than two openings may be used. The position of these escape pipes or passages may be varied, provided that the outer terminus of each is so situated as not to cause the current of air and gas to come in contact with the wick-flames, and so as not to be subject to outside atmosphericinfluences.

I do not wish to confine my invention to any particular number of escape-tubes, nor to the precise arrangement of the same which is shown in the drawings, as the construction may be varied in both of these respects and still come Within the scope of my invention.

While I have referred particularly to the use of my improvements in connection with car-lamps, or lamps so situated as to besubjected to motion, I do not wish to limit myself to this special application of my invention, as it can be adopted to advantage, in connection with any of the various constructions of oil-lamps in use, for the purpose of affording an escape for the gases generated within the lamp, which gases in all instances retard and interfere with combustion, and have the effect of producing an irregular or intermittent flame. By the use of my improvements a construction is afforded which prevents the motion of the lamp from interfering either with the volume or steadiness of the flame, thus securing uniform lighting properties.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1sv 1. In alamp, the combination,with the wickreservior, of air and gas exit passages having outlets isolated from direct communication with the burning wick and protected from external atmospheric influences, substantially as described.

2. In a lamp, the combination, with the burnencone and chimney, having a space intermediate between them, of the wick-reservoir communicating with such space, substantially as described.

3. In a 1amp,'the combination, with the burner-cone and chimney having a space in- 10 termediate between them, of the wick-reservoir, having air and gas exit passages communicating with such space, substantially a described.

JOHN F. TROUT. Witnesses: FREDERICK G. GOOIDWIN,

E. L. HUBER. 

